Circuit-breaker.



BF. BAILEY.

CIRCUIT BREAKER.

APPLlcAnoN msn Aums. 1912.

'To all whom it may concern:

a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN r. Bannion ANN Anson, MrcHIGAN.

CIRCUIT-Bananen.

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. BAILEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ann Arbor, in the county of Tashtenaw and State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in4 Cir cuit-Breakers,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to circuit breakers, and more especially to thatcla-ss thereof which are adapted for use in connection with sparking, orignition devices for igniting the gas charges of a hydrocarbon engine,and it has for one of its objects the provision of a device of thischaracter whereby the electric current may be very quickly brokensubsequent to a flow of current lasting a comparatively long time.

The invention has, furthermore, for its object the provision of abreaker comprising a rotary member which is operated at a predeterminedratio relative to the main shaft of the engine, and which in turnoperates a rotatable member in such a ,manner that normally the secondmember will be moved in unison with the first member while, if for anyreason the driving shaft of the device should have an accidentalbackward rotation, as for instance by what is generally known as thekick-back of the engine, the second member will be locked againstbackward rotation and thus prevent damage or destruction of several ofthe more delicate parts of the device.

The invention has, furthermore, for its object the provision of a novelorganization of the make and break devices which in the present instancecomprise a secondary comparatively sensitive and quick acting contactmember -controlled in its action by another or primary member which isdirectly operated by a device on the driving shaft.

-The invention has also for its object the provision of means wherebythe operating member for establishing the make and break of the electriccurrent, may be automatically advanced or retarded proportionately tothe speed of the shaft of the device, and consequently of that of theengine. In other words: the present device is adapted to combine, initself, the usual feature of the manual control generally exercised bythe oper ator of the engine in advancing the spark, as the enginegathers speed so as to :bring the point of ignition into the properperiod of the stroke of the engine piston.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1, 1915;

Application filed August 15, 1912. Serial No. 715,217.

Referring to the drawings, 10 denotes a shaft which, for the purposes ofigniting' the charges in internal combustion engines, is driven in aliked ratio from the main shaft ofthe engine. This shaft is journaled ina hub 11 of a plate 11 which is held on a .Y stationary casing 12indicated by dot and dash lines. Secured to, and insulated from, theplate 11, are a pair of terminals 13-14 to which suitable conductors maybe attached, as usual, and the connection between which terminals is tobe established or broken by the mechanism constituting the feature of mypresent invention. For this reason the terminal 14 is connected by aconductor 15 with a contact maker 16 which consists of a resilient bladeextending toward the other terminal 13 and having its rear end attachedindirectly to a block 17 which is pivoted on a post or stud 18 foroscillatory movement. For this purpose the block 17 has attached theretoan actuator member 19 which is comparatively stiff in structure and yetmay have some degree of resiliency, if desired. This member maybeattached directly to the block and preferably support the rear end ofthe blade 16 above mentioned.

The forward end of the primary actuator 19 is bent into hooked form asshown at 19 to engage the forward or free end of the blade 16 which hasa contact. point adapted to be thrown into engagement with the end of acontact screw 21 adjustable in a bracket or lug 22 projecting from theplate 11, it being understood that this contact screw is insulated fromthe plate either directly or indirectly.

In the present instance the primary actuator 19 is formed of sheet metalwhich -is' bent at its rear portion so that a` spring 23 may be attachedthereto for the purpose of operator if the shaft travels in a reversedVthe limiting in a iug 25 also carried by the plate 11. The

other end of the spring is attached to an adjusting screw 26 which maybe adjusted in a lug 27 to increase or decrease the tension of thespring 23 to the desired degree.

From the ioregoing it will be understood, that the position of the partsas shown in Fig. 1 is normal, and that the connection be" tween theterminals 13 and 14 is interrupted notwithstanding the fact that thevtendency of the blade 16 is to bring the Contact point 20 intoengagement with the screw 21, so

that consequently in this position *ofV the :mary actuator 19 around theaxis of the block 18 and pull the same in contact with rod 24. TheContact between the point 20 and the 'screw 21 is made by an operatormounted on the shaft 10 and controlled by a carrier which is rotated vbysaid shaft, turn for turn, and adapted to carry the operator along withit when the shaft moves in one direction, but it will release or be freefrom the direction. The principal object for this coni struction is: toavoid any breakage of parts if, for some reason or other the shaftshould be run in a backward direction, as for instance through a kickback or premature explosion in the engine cylinders. Under normalconditions, and in its most simplified form, the carrier may be directlysecured to the shaft, but I have in the present instance A provided foran automatic regulation whereby the carrier may be moved angularly tothe axis of the shaft in a predetermined ratio to the shaft speed sothat consequently the contact-operator will also be advanced orretardedin its operation and in the same proportion, thus doing away with theusual manual operating advancing the spark -to produce the ignition ofthe gas charge at the proper moment. The carrier 30 is in the presentinstance mounted loosely upon the shaft 10, and its arm 30 is connectedby a link 31 with a weight lever 32 pivoted at 33 on a disk 34 which isrigidly secured to the shaft 10. A spring 35. is interposed between aprojection of the weight lever and the inner end of the screw 36 (thelatter being adjustable in a lug 37 carried by the disk 34) so that inthis manner the weight lever will be normally swung inwardly by thespring until it comes into contact with `an abutment stud 38 alsocarried by said disk.

The arm 30 of the carrier carries a blade 39 'having a hook shaped end39 which is adapted to engage any one of a series of lips 40 of theoperating member 40 which in the Liaison raising action ofthe member 19will therefore be positive and will result in allowing. the contactpoint 20 to engage the'screw 21 regardless of how,4 high the hook end 19is '2. during each rotation of the shaft; Each y raised.- As soon as thedrop-off. pointor lip .41 has passed the end 19 of the primary operator,the spring 23 will immediatelyswing the member 19 downward again so thatits hook end 19" will alreadyy be in rapid motion when it engages thefree'end of the blade 16 which latter has furthermore a tendency ofassisting the spring 23 to return the member 19 to its-normal oroperative position. 0f course aiterl the hook 19 has once caught the endof 4the blade 16, the

`spring 23 will be the only etlicient part for bringing the arm 19 intothe position shown in Fig. v

This point is particularly emphasized because' by this construction thecontact ex-- isting between the point 20 and the screw 21 may be ofAconsi,:lerable duration, and furthermoreV the break is establishedvery` quickl for the reason that the hook 19 is 95.l

actua y invery rapid motion even before it` comes into catchingengagement with the end of the blade, so that consequently thisreleasing action partakes more'of the nature of a lblow than of agradual movement which will naturally result in the hook end 19 droppingoff from the lip 40. The part ticular function of the hook end 39 andthe lip 40 is that of preventing any centrifugal force on part of thearm 39 to have any effect in lessening its engagement with thev actualoperator which is consequently moved thereby in what may be considered alocked manner.

1f for some reason, as above stated, a retrograde movement should beimparted to the shaft 10, the disk 34 would naturally be rotatedlikewise, and with it the carrier 30, If then there should be anyexcessive friction between the blade 39 and the operator 40, there mightbe a tendency of operating the operator 40 backward also, and for thatreason I deem it expedient to provide a check device whereby saidoperator 40 will be positively held against backward rotation, thisdevice comprising a lever 41 pivoted at 42 and having an arm 43 adaptedto bring up against a stop pin 34 on the base plate 11, the lever beingswung inward to held its hook ends 41 normally in the path of the lips49 above mentioned, bv a spring 45 secured to the arm 43 and restingagainst a pin or stud 46 secured to the base plate`11.

Many changes may be made in the general organization as w il as in theparticular construction of some of the component parts of myvimprovedmechanism, without departing l from the spirit of the invention,particularly in the manner in which the operator is y advancedorretardedat a rate proportionate to the s eed of the engine 'sha t, s1nceother means or accomplishing the same desired resultl may be readilysubstituted for the mechanism herein shown and described. In a likemanner the suspension of the contact maker and its operator may bereadily changed' to suit various requirements, although the presentconstruction enables me to use a comparatively light spring forreturning the `breaker' arm tofnormal, regardless of the tension underwhich the contact blade is working relatively tothe primary member '19.l

I claim 1. In a circuit breaker, stationary and 4movable contacts,A arotatable shaft, a cam loosely mounted in relation to theshaft andhaving a plurality'of shouldered portions for engaging' said movablecontact to move I imple: of this' patent my be 4obtained for the latterinto enga ementwiththe stationary contact, a mem r fixed to rotate -withthe shaft, and a yieldable arm connected vto said member to rotatetherewith, said arm being-l adapted in one direction of'rotation of theshaft to engage one of saidshoulders on the cam to couple the latter tosaid member, and being adapted to disengage said shoulder upon rotationof the `shaft in the opposite direction, for the purpose described.`

y 2..In a.- circuit breaker, stationary and movable contacts,.arotatable shaft, a camloosel sleeved upon the shaft and having a I plurait of shouldered portions for actuatlng s ai movable contact, a memberfixed to rotate withthe shaft,`and a'spring arm connected Vto saidmember. to rotate therewith and having a hook-shaped portion engagingone ofesaid shoulders on the cam in one direction of rotation o'fsaidmember to couple the cam to `said member, vsaid hook- Ashaped portionbeing adapted to disen age said shoulder upon rotation of the sha t"1nthe opposite direction.

3. In a circuit breaker, stationary and movable contacts,alrotatableshaft, a cam loosely sleeved upon the shaft having aplurality of tions of the cam when the shaft is rotated-in the oppositedirection.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

* BENJAMIN F. BAILEY.

Witnesses: A A

CHAs. F. ScHMELz, GEORGE W. STmsoN.

v shouldered portions for actuating said movable contact, a carrierloosely sleeved upon ive cents each, by 'addressing the. Commissioner otPatenti,

Washington, D. C. l l

